Sightsavers Save and Prevent Eye Issues

The realization that most individuals with eyesight issues hail from developing countries and have no access to an affordable solution is what birthed Sightsavers which is an international non-profit organization. The organization focuses on dealing with eye-related hardships from the blindness that is avoidable to other diseases that affect the eyes. The fact that the organization also pays attention to people living with disabilities and have eye problems is encouraging as they get neglected most of the times. Above all, preventing this illness and blindness and identifying the causes of these problems makes Sightsavers a unique organization.

Being a non-governmental organization, it at some point liaises with local health care providers and involves the health structure that has been put in place in certain regions. By so doing, the organization can reach as many people as possible with the guidance of the locals who are familiar with the population in such areas. The government as well becomes involved as the organization seeks to ensure that the local facilities have the right equipment and medication for the eye patients. Other than the government, Sightsavers also take time to train the existing health workers and the community at large to make sure they observe specific measures and remain healthy. Lack of information is what ails people most of the times as they do not know how to handle certain health situations that do not even require a health practitioner.

Sightsavers was brought into being by Sir John Wilson who was blind in 1950, and it has its headquarters in the United Kingdom but has other branches in Norway, Sweden, United Arab Emirates and Italy as well as India and Republic of Ireland. Initially, the organization was called the British Empire Society for the Blind and later Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind. Since inception, Sightsavers has reached millions of people with eye problems globally which makes it outstanding in its commitment to serving the world. For its excellent work of many years, the organization was recognized by GiveWell which is a charity evaluator in November 2016 and was listed as top charities of that particular year. To help Sightsavers continue with their excellent work, GiveWell offered them a grant of $3 million through Good ventures which is a foundation they work within charity work.